Down the Hatch

[Rachel Hollander]

More of my experimenting with non-traditional views of elephants. Taken in the Timbavati Game Reserve, South Africa in August 2012.

Canon 7D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/1600
f5.6
ISO 400
HH from safari vehicle, levels, curves, selective color, sharpened in CS6.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Gen Benjamin]

Creative attempt but not sure it works IMHO. I find the trees in the top of image very distracting. I love the mouthand tusks. Wonder if cropping right to those would work
Gen

[Steve Kaluski]

Creative attempt but not sure it works IMHO.

I tend to agree on that too, but top marks for trying something new. Not quite sure if there is another crop, but I think you will have probably gone for the best option here. Might have been better to shoot with a wider lens for this if possible?

I would run a Luminosity mask, run two Curves adjustments to lighten & darken, then mask the relevant areas, avoid the mouth, Selective colour (BlK & Neut) at 60%, again avoiding the mouth, then three rounds of light USM. Adds some depth, resolves a few highlight issues, depth to the sky, looks better.

TFS
Steve

[Russell Johnson]

Would agree with tighter crop, and would interested to see Stevens suggestions once I am off my iPhone.

[Steve Kaluski]

Well here you go Russell, my interpretation, however I think it might well be between the two. Not sure where the FP was Rachel and always tricky on something like this or when a Hippo yawns. By the look of it I think it's on the underside of the trunk as it faces us? If the lens was on the 5 then cranking up the ISO for more DOF may have helped to get more of the mouth in focus too, not so worried about the eyes etc. Could perhaps taken some more selective sharpening????

As I said earlier, good to see your thinking and trying things OOTB. :cheers:

BTW Russell, once you have found and unpacked your computer etc, look forward to more of your images too. Nice to see you participating in other threads, much appreciated. :5

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Gen, Steve and Russell. This is one that I was unsure about but did not want to sway the audience. Steve - I like what you have done with it and agree perhaps somewhere in between the 2 is ideal. I think that I tried to "split the baby" with this one and that the FP is on the underside of the trunk as you suggest (I haven't checked it in DPP). In hindsight I had enough ss and light to stop down to 7.1.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

I think even more DOF Rachel????

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Not a favorite of mine of your work but kudos on looking outside the box. I can see where you are going but just missing the mark for me. I must say though that the repost did make the image more appealing to me.

[John Ippolito]

Rachel, this is about the most unusual POV of an elephant I've seen - ooking into the maw. Steve has done a great job I think enhancing the image with the FP on the under trunk. Most unique in pespective.

[Rachel Hollander]

Maybe Steve, will just have to go back and have another go at it :w3. Thanks Cheryl and John, much appreciated.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I quite like it. Sure, won't find its way into your best-of gallery in a few years' time, but a fun shot and a perspective not often seen.
Steve's repost takes it up a tad and I too wish for more DOF (or perhaps, on the flipside, even less? thinking OOTB?) :w3

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel. Now don't go trying for this shot with your ellies that stand on their hind legs :bg3:

Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

Now that you mention it, Rachel, I was hoping for a few upright ellies at 24mm when I return in July :Whoa!:

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel,

nothing left for me to add :w3

I love those images of ellies with mouth open. I have a few as well. Now I need to do them with lots of DOF , torch light in the mouth and pick up the branches. But the branches show, why the ellie lifted it's trunk. The poor thing is just hungry :c3:

Ciao Anette